Doug Brunk is a San Diego-based award-winning reporter who began covering health care in 1991. Before joining the company, he wrote for the health sciences division of Columbia University and was an associate editor at Contemporary Long Term Care magazine when it won a Jesse H. Neal Award. His work has been syndicated by the Los Angeles Times and he is the author of two books related to the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program. Doug has a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Follow him on Twitter @dougbrunk.
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Vedolizumab use linked to high rate of postoperative complications in IBD patients
LOS ANGELES – A small single-center study has shown that 44% of inflammatory bowel disease patients on vedolizumab had some form of infectious...
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Study eyes mortality among octogenarians after emergency Hartmann’s procedure
LOS ANGELES – Patients over the age of 80 who present with diverticulitis requiring an emergent Hartmann’s procedure have a 30-day mortality rate...
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Training impacted performance of surgical quality measures
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Surgeons trained in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery were more likely to perform proposed quality measures...
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Surgery, pessary are both good options for treating prolapse
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Both surgery and pessary are effective at helping women with pelvic organ prolapse attain pre-treatment goals, improvements...
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Premenopausal age linked to lower sexual function after gynecologic cancer surgery
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Premenopausal age was associated with a greater temporary decline in sexual desire 1 month after undergoing surgery for...
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Perioperative bundle implementation reduced SSIs after hysterectomy
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Implementation of a gynecologic perioperative infection prevention bundle for patients undergoing hysterectomy led to a 53...
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Chlorhexidine-alcohol skin prep reduced SSIs after abdominal hysterectomy
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Using chlorhexidine-alcohol preoperative skin antisepsis at the time of abdominal hysterectomy is associated with a lower...
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Study identifies cognitive impairment in elderly urogynecologic patients
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – A rapid screening tool found that about 5% of urogynecologic patients aged 65-74 years showed signs of cognitive impairment...
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Study finds inappropriate oophorectomy at time of hysterectomy
Among premenopausal California women undergoing nonradical hysterectomies over a 7-year period, more than one-third underwent concurrent...
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Surgical issues top reasons for readmissions after hysterectomy
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. – Unplanned, 30-day readmissions after hysterectomy for benign indications mainly occur because of surgical complications,...
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Study raises questions about cost effectiveness of robot-assisted hysterectomy
With few exceptions, the rates of complications, readmissions, and reoperations were similar among patients who underwent robotic hysterectomy for...
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Measles outbreak underscores vulnerability of infants
An outbreak of measles in infants who were too young for routine immunization with the MMR vaccine occurred in an Illinois day care center,...
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FDA adds safety warnings to certain type 2 diabetes medications
Type 2 diabetes medicines that contain saxagliptin and alogliptin may increase the risk of heart failure, especially in patients who already have...
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USPSTF recommends against screening for COPD in asymptomatic adults
There is no apparent benefit to screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in asymptomatic patients, a new recommendation from the U.S....
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College students report perceived barriers to HPV vaccine
College-aged men and women had positive attitudes toward human papillomavirus vaccination, yet perceived cost and access barriers factored into...